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Tybee Island: Development defines 2006

Richard Burkhart

Tybee Island held a grand opening celebration at its recently acquired campground in November. The city bought the River's End Campground from businessman Bobby Chu this summer to save it from development.

Savannah Morning News

Jason Buelterman, mayor of Tybee Island. Photo by Steve Bisson.

Richard Burkhart

River's End Campground Tybee Island.

Richard Burkhart

The city of Tybee Island threatened legal action against the campground's former owners if they didn't move utility boxes along this stretch of road. After the city bought the property for $7 million, officials said they had no plans to move the boxes.

At the beginning of the year, Jason Buelterman took the political helm of Tybee Island.

He'd served on council before, so he knew the political realities he'd face as mayor. And he navigated through the year and a few controversies with a City Council that seemed to cooperate.

"One thing they do really well is kind of set their differences aside on some things and work together on other things," he said.

The most high-profile and contentious issues Tybee faced this year revolved around development.

Council changed the zoning in the commercial district to limit condominium development.

The city bought a campground so that houses couldn't be built there. And it stopped a development because it was encroaching on the beach dunes.

Even so, development raged on.

The city issued 121 building permits this year through Dec. 21 - a 40 percent increase from 2005. Four new condominium buildings were approved, adding 53 units.

But Buelterman celebrates the mundane accomplishments, such as installing a $3 million water line, having a clean financial audit "for the first time in recent memory" and lowering the tax rate.

Hiring new City Manager Diane Schleicher also made a difference.

"She has done an amazing job, and she's been really effective," he said.

Here are some of the year's highlights for Tybee where, no matter what happens, the locals say "it's just another day in paradise":

Jan. 26: Council revises the zoning in the commercial district, limiting the amount of developable condo space. A group of property owners sued the city. The suit is pending.

March 9: Tybee hires Schleicher as city manager. A native of Athens, she spent the previous 11 years as administrator of the Village of Waterford, Wis.

March 20: The city announces it would spend $7 million to buy the River's End Campground. Buying it from developer Bobby Chu, the move saved the campground from residential development. The former owners, Walter and Cheryl Simmons, knew nothing about Chu's sale until the city announced it - well before the couple had closed on the sale with Chu for $4.75 million.

The city hired a full-time manager for the site and plans to make improvements.

April: The city finished the most expensive public project ever on the island: replacing the main line that pumps water to residents. For more than $3 million, the city replaced the constantly leaking cast-iron line that ran along Butler Avenue and replaced it with PVC pipes.

June 7: Ma Cootah enn Lee Ones is kidnapped. The fiberglass replica of a loggerhead turtle was stolen from the front of the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. In the process, one of the fins broke off.

Ma Cootah was found near Spanish Hammock on June 10. On June 28, Tybee Island Police arrested 21-year-old Jonathan McAdams and charged him in the theft.

July 13: City Council denies a 14-unit subdivision proposed by Chu on one of the last significant stretches of land between Butler Avenue and the beach.

Chu sought a variance to build within Tybee's shore protection line, which council denied. Chu filed suit. The city is now looking at changing the shore protection rules, but whether that would help Chu's development is unclear.

Aug. 3: Property owners rally to find a solution to rising taxes caused by rising property values at a meeting with local and state elected officials.

Sept. 15: Schleicher shuts down the Parking Services department after parking meter money went missing. All employees were investigated and some were given lie-detector tests. The department reopened Sept. 28. One employee resigned.

Sept. 19: Tybee scores a victory after Chatham County voters approved extending the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Starting in 2008, Tybee will collect about $8 million that will pay for a new public safety facility and beach renourishment.

Island officials successfully negotiated for the $8 million by arguing that the island serves the entire county and deserves a larger share of the sales tax money.

Using a similar argument, Tybee got $3 million from the state for beach renourishment earlier in the year.

Dec. 14: After weeks of sometimes intense debate, council approves a budget that includes $60,000 for a new skate park. The skate park was one of the reasons a group called the Tybee Island Residents and Property Owners Association formed. The group rubbed some on the council the wrong way. Skate park supporters are now organizing a campaign to raise more money for the project.